Scully

Thank you. We stay at the Hotel Gorizia ( spelling ) which is just off San Marco, on the main street to Rialto Bridge. You’re right, it is a wonderful city. This will be my fourth visit ( can’t recall how many times OH has been ) and we always manage to get the same hotel. I woke one morning to the sounds of Vivaldi coming through our open bedroom window. Magical.

Thank you. Yes, really looking forward to it. Venice does indeed get beneath your skin, with a painting around almost every corner. Will be savouring every moment. 👍 Thank you. Only the five days unfortunately to take in the two preview evenings, but it will be buzzing! Thank you. Am fluent in coffee! 👍

Went to Lagos ( pronounced ‘Lagosh’ ) on the Algarve a long time ago. Fabulous beaches and food, and although I can’t remember any big climbs, can’t really recall the terrain, sorry.

I had one! Sold it along with my Diamond Grade to ‘sweeten’ the deal! Well worth holding onto. 👍 I have another Winchester red leather 101 case, but that’s for my 8500. Thank you. Yes, he is. Totally painless transaction. 🙂👍

They are. 👍 Indeed. 🙂👍

Hi Mungler. No website currently, new one pending. Yes, I sell them through various galleries and exhibitions up North and Scotland, plus people contact me through Instagram.

Thanks to @pigeonbasher oz for the case. I once sold this to a friend who coveted it and borrowed it each time we went on our rough shoot. I had a Grand European also so didn’t think I’d miss it, but each time I saw it I yearned to have it back! I found him a GE eventually and bought back the Field. He still asks me to bring it whenever we go on the rough shoot! It has 27” fixed choke 1/4 & 1/2 barrels, black action and a small brass bead in the vented top barrel. It has plain varnished wood and is nothing exceptional, but there’s just something about it I can’t put my finger on. Mate agrees. I found it as a sleeper in Lakeland Guns, along with a sleeper of a Winchester 1500 XTR. I bought them both for less than 500 quid the pair. I shot my most memorable bird with this gun many moons ago. It was the last drive on the last day of the season, days which more or less turned out to be a glorified dog walk really, and after four drives hadn’t fired a shot. I was walking gun down the left hand side of a 250 yard long broad wood, bereft of conifers, and there were no leaves on the trees and all the cover in it was gone, battered down by a season of rains and strong bitter winds. I was keeping up at a steady stroll with the beaters dogs, my always the optimist Border Terrier skipping along beside me. With about fifty yards to go not a bird had lifted and not a shot fired from the standing guns, and just as I was thinking I wouldn’t need to clean my gun, I saw a pheasant lift through the bare canopy on the far side of the wood. ‘Ah well, nevermind’ I thought, it was someone else’s bird. But as I watched, it cleared the tree tops where the strong wind turned it roughly in my direction, and then it was hurtling towards me from about 20’clock, at a really good height. I closed my gun, stepped into its path as it crossed me, and swept it from the sky as it scythed past. It simply folded up and arced down into the next field. I heard a distant cheer from the woods! My Border was well on her way and retrieved it splendidly. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to make your day. That one memorable bird.

Thank you. 👍

Can’t believe ‘shagged ’ got through! Was expecting a row of ******!

I know I mentioned we’d be going to Venice, but was sworn to secrecy as to why. Anyhow, the secrecy is no more, and we’ll be exhibiting in the 2024 Venice Biennale, at Palazzo Bembo, opposite Rialto Bridge. This is a major International Arts venue and exhibition, and our work ( OH and me plus others ) will be there from April until November. A BIGGY! 🙂👍

Thank you. 👍

Aigle.

No. I’m the dishwasher in our house.

1984? I was 24/25 years old and had just been made redundant from an electronics firm ( we made the ZX Spectrum ) and at the time of being made redundant on about 90 quid per week, probably less. I was living with a lass who had the sort of body which would make a vicar kick out his stained glass windows, and we often shagged ourselves to a standstill! We adored each other but both attracted the opposite sex like moths to a flame, and unfortunately ripped ourselves apart with jealousy. It was an interesting but very volatile time, and I think we both look back on it now with the regret that is always enlightening with the benefit of hindsight. We both blamed ourselves, and even though we see each other rarely these days, it’s always on good terms, and we still have a laugh. It’s just life. Anyhow, that was 1984. Edited to add: Billy Joel brought out ‘Uptown Girl’ and the fabulous ‘Sexual Healing’ by Marvin Gaye was also in the charts.

This.

Thank you. 🙂 It’s all in the prep’, which is why people loathe it! It can be a chore at times but once I’m painting and there’s some decent music on I just switch off. Zinsser Cover Stain negates the need for a lot of ‘keying’. Great paint. 👍 The artwork can be as much of a chore at times. People think it’s relaxing, and as a hobby it probably is, but as a profession it can be a grind at times. Unlike the decorating I can’t just switch off; there’s a lot of concentration involved. Some can’t understand why I do it if it’s not relaxing, but I’m driven to do it I suppose. Get quite restless if I’m kept from it for too long. 🤷‍♂️ The end result of course is immensely satisfying.

Fabulous skill! 👍

Most I’ve been charged was 50 quid, most are around the 35 mark. It may be cheaper to deliver it to the buying RFD yourself, dependant on where they are? 🤷‍♂️

That’s a good question! Have never heard of it done like that before; usually done via RFD to RFD. 🤷‍♂️

Sorry, just seen this! Thank you. I paint insides as well. 🙂👍

That really is sad sad news. I know he didn’t look well on his recent programmes, but I thought he’d beaten it. Awful news; such a genuinely nice bloke.

Give @Miroku Matt a shout. If he doesn’t know, I can’t think who else will.

😂

Or file down the sear? Thats what I did. 👍

There’s a thought. Worth trying. Cheers.